It is encouraging, that the two rival systems, most boldly promising to lead to perfection, both had their birth under political and mental bondage.  So evidently with Romanism, whether under its proper form and name, or refined and disguised after the modern fashion.  And the same is true of the baptized infidelity imported from Germany.  The German mind is cramped and diseased by the bands which confine it.  It is not allowed to speculate freely on politics, and the many questions most nearly touching present interests.  Therefore, on the records and on the doctrines which pertain to eternal interests, it falls with an insane avidity for innovation, and runs into licentiousness a liberty no where else enjoyed.  Hence the levity, in dealing with things sacred, in Germany often found in minds of the first and second orders, here is taken up by those to the third and fourth—­the copyists and imitators; nay, by the buffoons who figure at the farces of mock philanthropy.  Now, though every folly must find minds whose caliber it fits, we may hope the genuine American mind will not be extensively beguiled by either of the misbegotten offspring of Europe’s mental servitude.

But, to the point—­progress made in estimating life.  A few centuries ago, a torrent of enthusiasm set in the direction of bearing the cross into Asia, to fight for glory, and the propagation of Christianity, on the fields of Palestine.  Already the old Roman military character was greatly improved on.  Virtue, (manliness, a` vir-man) was no longer supposed to fulfil its highest office in

      Parcere subjectis et debellare superbos.

A delicate sense of honor, of the courtesy due to a foe and the gallantry to the other sex, betoken a type of humanity in advance of the brute ferocity of the best days of Rome.

But, notwithstanding Mr. Burke’s eloquence, and the opinion sometimes expressed, that the courtly knight of the middle age, realized the perfection of humanity; we have no reason to regret that the age of chivalry is gone by, and that the age of speculation, and money-making, and industrial enterprize has succeeded.  The materialism of this age, with all its faults, is better than the chivalry of an age gone by.  It tends to keep the world at peace; that tended to perpetual turmoil.  The supposition all rich, according to modern ideas, is not so flat a contradiction as the supposition all glorious, in military heroism.  As the past age estimated life’s supreme good, the enjoyment of a few required the exclusion of the many from its benefits:  as this age estimates the enjoyment of some, admits the exclusion of others.  Whether the mercantile spirit thoroughly entered into makes a better man than did the spirit of chivalry, may be doubted; not so, which best comports with the welfare of society.